Sam and Jennifer stood in the gateroom, dressed in BDUs, Woolsey, SG-1, Daniel, Jack, Reynolds, Carolyn, Landry and Hammond lined up with a few of Sam's and Jennifer's colleagues to bade the two women farewell. As Jennifer's colleagues said their farewells to the linguist, SG-1 did likewise to Sam.

When she reached Daniel, the Archaeologist's gaze fell momentarily in sadness at her going and she kissed him, not caring about her surroundings, their arms around each other. When they parted, she ruffled his hair and kissed him on the cheek, remarking affectionately,

"I'm going to miss you the most, Jackson."

Jack remarked, rolling his eyes, "Gee, Carter… I feel so left out now."

Sam rolled her eyes and retorted, "Sir… he's my husband."

She hugged Daniel again, whispering, "Kiss our babies for me."

He stroked her cheek and said as the 'gate activated behind her, "Of course I will. Good luck out there, Sam."

"Thank you… and good luck here."

He gently kissed her and then with a lingering glance, she went to salute her senior officers before saying to an eager Jennifer, "Are you ready, Jennifer?"

Jennifer nodded and replied, "Yes… although I'm not too sure about being demolecularised and…"

Earning a proud smile from Jack, Sam replied, "Oh, it's a piece of cake, trust me. Come on."

Sam turned to face her friends and said with a smile and a wave, "Bye, guys!"

They cheered, and waved back, Vala calling as most of everyone laughed, "Bring us back something nice!"

With a little smile, Sam fixed her hat on her head and said, looking at Jennifer, "To Oz?"

Smiling back at her, Jennifer replied, "To Oz…"

"Right, let's go."

They walked up the ramp together and stopped just in front of the active event horizon, turning to wave at their friends. Jennifer then whispered, looking at the fluctuations in the event horizon, "It's beautiful."

"Sure is. You should see Atlantis."

As Jennifer looked nervous, Sam took her hand, holding her gaze for a moment and the two women walked through the event horizon, their bodies demolecularised and the deconstructed molecules travelling beyond the speed of light via a Carter-McKay Bridge.

A half hour later, the two women emerged into the gateroom of the Lost City, Sheppard, Lorne, Teyla and Ronon waiting to greet them. Sheppard, Lorne, and the gate technician, Sergeant Muniz, saluted the Colonel as the linguist gazed around herself in amazement. After returning the salutes, Sam took her hat off and patted Sheppard's shoulder and smiled at the others. She said, gesturing to her side,

"This is…"

She turned around, realising that Jennifer had wandered off, gaping through the glass at the Lantaean exterior. Sam smiled in amusement as did the rest, and the Colonel called, pointing suggestively to the Atlantis gang, "Jennifer…"

Jennifer, her eyes widening briefly in realisation, looked embarrassed as she ran back to Sam, saying, "Sorry! This is just so… amazing."

Sam chuckled quietly on being reminded of Daniel, and she said, gesturing to each of the people stood in front of her, "Ok, these are… Lieutenant-Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne, Teyla Emmagan, and Ronon Dex. Teyla's from Athos, and Ronon is from Sateda."

As Jennifer greeted each of them, shaking their hands, Sam said to them, "And this, guys, is Doctor Jennifer Keller – my civilian second-in-command."

When the greetings had finished, Sam asked, glancing around, "Where's Doctor Weir?"

Sheppard, his eyes briefly showing inordinate pain, replied, "Elizabeth's resting in her quarters. She's been pretty down at having to leave like this."

Just then, Elizabeth entered the gateroom followed by a belligerent looking McKay, and Sam introduced them to Jennifer and vice versa. McKay was characteristically silent as he kept on shooting Sheppard evil glares, and Sam pulled Elizabeth into a hug and whispered,

"Congratulations, Liz."

Elizabeth clung onto her, whispering back as she blinked back tears, "Thank you, Sam. I just wish that it was under happier circumstances."

Just as McKay opened his mouth to speak, a series of beeps sounded and Muniz called, pressing his earpiece into his ear as he glanced from Sheppard to Sam, "Colonels, the Daedalus is ready and waiting."

Everyone exchanged concerned glances, Sheppard slipping his arm around Elizabeth's waist in an unusual show of affection as he kissed her brow, her arms coming around him as she clung onto him, her eyes shut. McKay remarked as Radek showed up,

"Well, the Enterprise is here to send you back home… unfortunately, Captain Kirk isn't going instead."

As Sam, Jennifer and Lorne ducked their heads briefly to hide their smiles, Sheppard glared at the Canadian, fighting the urge to punch him and Teyla said, "I have seen your Captain Kirk and he does not resemble Colonel Sheppard."

Ronon added with a grumble as the humans turned to look at Teyla in surprise, "For one, our man doesn't overdo everything and act as though he's about to die."

Everyone chuckled briefly, and then Elizabeth's friends took turns bidding her their farewells, and hugging her. The group then walked to the Puddle Jumper bay, McKay's and Teyla's arms around her, no-one looking happy with the exception of Jennifer who was as high as a kite at finally being able to see Atlantis, barely aware of the drama happening around her.

When they reached the bay, Caldwell and one of his men waiting with barely suppressed impatience, Sam cleared the bay of everyone but Elizabeth and Sheppard, giving the two a chance for a proper goodbye, and she and Lorne guarded the entrance, almost like Buckingham Palace guards.

Sam had to wipe away a tear when she heard Sheppard profess his love for the former expedition leader. After they had hugged, Sam finally let Caldwell and his Lieutenant in, the latter opening the back door of the Jumper and politely conducting Elizabeth into the rear of the craft as Caldwell walked past her to the seat next to the pilot's. Everyone waved as the door closed, a distraught Elizabeth waving back as the Lieutenant, who had the Ancient gene, made his way to the pilot's seat to activate the craft.

When the engine had started, Sam called as a last mark of respect to the departing leader as she stood to attention, "Ten hut!"

Everyone stood to attention, the military personnel saluting as the craft set out from the Lost City en route to the Daedalus, the ship due to return to Earth. When the Jumper was out of sight, Sam turned to her new charges and said, looking sad,

"Ok people, let's get back to business."

Sheppard stood, looking at where the Jumper had been, his eyes empty, and Sam gently placed a hand on his shoulder. He blinked and looked at her, and she said quietly,

"Sheppard, go take a couple of hours off and get some rest."

He made to object when she said, "Nope, it's an order. You need it."

He nodded resignedly, walking away, the rest of the team dispersing although Lorne remained, his eyes transfixed on Jennifer, who was still acting like a child in a sweet shop. Sam, smiling briefly, said, startling the Major out of his reverie,

"Lorne, you're on duty just like everyone else."

Lorne nodded quickly and ran from the bay back to his post as Sam shook her head slightly in amusement. She watched Jennifer continue to gape at everything and the Colonel said,

"Right, come on Jennifer… let's go check our new offices out."

Jennifer turned in surprise from an Ancient plaque that she had been reading and asked, "I have an office?"

"Oh yes, second-in-command… come on… and we have to get changed. Don't want to walk around like we're on a mission."

Smiling, the two women linked arms and made their way to the locker-room to change, and Sam asked, "So… how are you finding it so far?"

Jennifer replied, trying hard to not gush, "Amazing! I… oh God, it's just… wow."

"Daniel gets speechless like that… it's funny especially seeing as he's the Milky Way's chattiest linguist."